This document summarizes a student project on evaluating the performance of coated and uncoated tungsten carbide inserts in turning AISI304 stainless steel. The project aims to study the effect of cutting speed on tool wear and chip characteristics. Experiments were conducted using coated and uncoated inserts at various cutting speeds. Results showed that coated inserts exhibited less tool wear and higher hardness compared to uncoated inserts. Higher cutting speeds led to increased tool wear for both insert types. Chip and workpiece temperatures also increased with longer machining times. The project findings can help improve machining efficiency of hard materials like stainless steel.